I'll Never Let Go"
by Lab Creation
Summary: A Takari. It's rated PG to be on the safe side. NEway, T.K.'s been in France for a long time and he's come back yada yada yada. You get the point.


"I'll Never Let Go"

"I'll Never Let Go"

By Lab Creation

Takeru Takaishi walked along the lonely streets of Tokyo. To someone else, the streets were filled with life.

"The bank's closing in two minutes! Hurry!"

"The mall having a great sale today."

"Excuse me! Coming through! Sorry!"

"Where is Shokaido Street located?"

"Oops! I left my purse at home!"

It was a nippy winter afternoon. If the wind blew hard enough, it would feel like thousands of daggers were slicing you. T.K. pulled his overcoat closer. He hadn't changed much over the years. He was taller, and his hair was a tad thicker. Same icy, blue eyes - and floppy, white beach hat for that matter. 

He hadn't been in Japan in so long. The memory of the Japanese language was awakening, slowly, but surely. He was so used to hearing the French language. Seeing the French people. Seeing his French friends ({A/C ((author's comment))} That sounds funny. "French friends"). The French collage where he got his degree. Everything seemed so foreign, yet so familiar. He sat down on a nearby bench to take a quick rest. He closed his eyes and began to remember the day he left. The last time he saw Kari.

_"Please, T.K.," she had pleaded, "Don't leave. I love you."_

"I don't want to leave either," he responded, "But I think it's best." 

Kari reached over and hugged him tightly.

"I'm going to miss you so much," she whispered.

"I know."

The distant sound of the subway train was coming closer.

"Please, change your mind."

As much as he wanted to, he knew it was for the better.

"Don't worry, I'll write. And call you as often as I can."

They looked into each other's eyes for a moment. Then T.K. pulled Kari into a kiss. The subway train roared into the station. He pulled away.

"I love you."

The other passengers filed into the train. T.K. backed up. Kari held onto his hand until the doors closed with a hiss. T.K. took his seat and turned around and gazed out the window. Kari pressed her hand against the window, tears threatening to overflow. T.K. pushed his hand against the glass as well, misty-eyed. The train roared again and started off with a lurch. Then she was gone.

"~Why? How? How did I lose contact with everybody?~" T.K. thought as he sat on the bench. He pushed himself up and pulled his overcoat even closer. Just then, a blast of icy wind ran down the street. One of the "icy daggers" snatched his hat carried back down the way he came. He turned around and dashed after it. The hat came to rest at someone's feet.

"Thanks," he said, reaching down and picking up his hat. He looked up at his hat's rescuer and froze. His ice-blue eyes met sparkling brown ones.

"K-Kari?" T.K. stammered, getting up.

Kari stared straight at T.K., speechless. Her lips tried desperately to form the letters to say his name, but failed. She finally managed to whisper out his name.

"T.K.."

They just stood there for a moment, staring. Kari hadn't changed much either. Her hair was darker with highlights, and it came down to her shoulders and then formed a perfect frame around her face. She still had those eyes, those sparkling brown eyes. 

Suddenly, they both lashed out and hugged each other.

"Oh, T.K.! I thought I'd never hear from you again!"

"Me too."

They both relinquished their hold and began walking along the street. They soon found themselves at the park. They both sat down on a bench overlooking the harbor.

"So what have you been doing lately?" T.K. queried. 

"Well, since I got out of collage I've been in and out of jobs. Right now, I'm looking for one." Kari replied, "What about you?"

"Well, after collage, I kept working at the job that I had while I was in collage, working full time instead of part time. Then I decided to quit. Since then, I've been in and out of jobs too. So tell me, how's everyone else?"

"Let's see, Tai married Sora about a year ago and Matt married Mimi 6 months ago."

T.K. smiled, but looked down, feeling guilty about not being there.

"It's not your fault you weren't there, T.K. We lost contact. There was no way you could have known about it. Anyway, Joe and Izzy got married too. Um… Ken's out of collage and he's teaching a math class and coaches soccer in his spare time."

"I expected that."

"Davis is taking and extra year of collage, so he's working part time at an electronics store."

"He hasn't broken anything yet?" T.K. asked teasingly.

"Just a little tiny object… amazingly. Uhh… Yolie decided to not go to collage so she's working at her family's store. And Cody's still in high school."

A cool breeze sneaked by, making them shiver. T.K. got up.

"Come on," he said holding out his hand, "Why don't we go over to my apartment and I'll you some real French Roast coffee."

Kari giggled and took his hand. They walked down the street and into his apartment complex.

"You're going to have to excuse the mess," T.K. said has he unlocked the door to his apartment, "I got in just yesterday."

Soon the two were sitting down at the table, talking.

"So, does Davis still have a crush on you?" T.K. asked.

Kari giggled.

"No. He found someone else who doesn't mind that he's hyper."

"What about you?" T.K. queried.

"Me? Well, I HAD someone else, but I dumped him when I found out that he was seeing someone else. And you?"

"No, although there were some girls how liked me, no, more like hounded me."

Kari laughed. Then the two sat there, not saying anything, quietly sipping their coffee. Kari looked down at her watch.

"Well, I'd best be going," Kari said, getting up, "Thanks for the coffee."

"I'll you back to your apartment if you want," T.K. offered.

"Huh? Oh no, you've already done enough," Kari replied. 

T.K. got up to see her out the door.

"Bye," Kari said quietly.

"Bye," T.K. answered, then closed the door. 

He walked over the table, picked up the coffee mugs and dumped the unwanted coffee into the sink. He walked into his room and flopped down on the bed, not even bothering to unmake it or change into his pajamas. He rolled over to where he faced the digital clock. He watched it until his eyelids got heavy and he drifted off to sleep.

~*~

_BRINNNNGGG!!! BRINNNNNGGGGG!!!_

T.K. moaned and rolled over and looked at the clock.

"What? 11:00 a.m.? I'm still not used to the time change…"

He reached over and picked up the phone.

"Hello?"

"Good morning, T.K.," a happy voice said on the other end.

"Oh, morning Kari."

"You sound tired."

"You woke me up," T.K. replied.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" Kari apologized. 

"That's alright. My alarm didn't go off." T.K. said.

"Well, I was calling to ask you if you were free on Saturday at 9:00 a.m.."

"Yes, why?"

"Well, I was thinking about getting everybody together at out old school."

"Really? That's sounds great. I'll be there."

"Great!" Kari said happily, "See you Saturday! Bye!"

"Bye!"

Saturday came and T.K. walked up to the old school and found everyone there.

"T.K.!"

Matt ran out to him and hugged him.

"How's my little brother doin'?" Matt asked.

"I'll be dead if you don't stop choking me," T.K. answered.

Everyone laughed and Matt let go.

"Hey! How are ya'?"

"I'm glad you're back. We missed you!"

"What was it like in France?"

Everyone bombarded T.K. with questions about what France was like and how he was doing. He did his best to answer every question. Then somewhere around 2:00 p.m., everyone began to leave. By 3:00 p.m., everyone except T.K. and Kari had left.

"That was fun," T.K. commented happily, "Its been a long time since all of us were together."

"Yep," Kari replied quietly.

The two just stood there for awhile, not saying anything. Listening to the wind whistle through the trees. They both kept stealing glances at each other. Then they both glanced at each other at the same time, and their gazes locked. The two stared into each other's eyes for a long, silent moment. T.K. slowly reached over and touched Kari's cheek. She reached up and grabbed his hand. They slowly leaned closer to each other. Kari started to back up, but suddenly T.K. reached over and pulled her into a kiss. Kari pulled back.

"I'd better be going," Kari whispered.

She backed away and walked off.

~*~

Six months rolled by, and T.K. and Kari's relationship blossomed. T.K. found himself working at a sports equipment store and Kari at a grocery store as a cashier. One day, Kari was walking down Hishida Street and she spotted T.K. walking out of a jewelry store, toting something in his hand.

"Hi, T.K.!" Kari called out.

"Oh! Uh… Hi, Kari," T.K. said, startled. He quickly slipped the box into his pocket.

Kari joined T.K. in his little walk, all the while wondering what he had in his pocket.

"~Maybe it's a gift for Mimi,~" Kari thought, "~Her wedding anniversary is this week.~"

They continued to walk. Soon, they found themselves at the place where they first kissed - at the park under a tree.

"This place look familiar?" Kari said teasingly.

T.K. smiled. He gazed across the harbor, stopping to examine a boat or yacht.

"Kari?" T.K. asked.

"Hmm?"

"There's something I need to ask you."

"Go ahead."

T.K. froze for a second, then reached into his pocket and pulled the box he had when he walked out of the jewelry store and got done on one knee.

"Simply this," he said, "Will you marry me?"

Kari gasped. Inside the box was a beautiful engagement ring. The gold band was studded with tiny diamonds at regular intervals. Then a beautiful, big diamond rested on the top. T.K. stared at her, most likely holding his breath.

"Yes!" Kari cried happily. She reached over and latched herself onto T.K.'s neck. T.K. smiled and hugged her back.

Two months later, wedding bells could be heard ringing. A car with the words "Just Married" painted on the back window could be seen pulling away from the church, its occupants waving to crowd. Happy Honeymoon! 

_________________________________

*pauses and stares at her story* Did I write that? Not the story part, but the word K-I-S-S?! *grabs her friend Jessa and shakes her violently* DID I?!?!?!?!?! TELL ME!!!!!!!!!!! Oh man, this is so unlike me… 


End file.
